With non-region games behind them, 'Cats prepare for District

Friday

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Oak Ridge High School's senior wide receiver Isaiah Johnson snatched a touchdown catch from junior quarterback Mitchell Gibbons with 8:11 left on the fourth-quarter clock Friday night, Aug. 30, 2019, at Dobyns-Bennett, spoiling the Game No. 2 shutout that the Indians were working toward against the visiting Wildcats.

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Oak Ridge High School's senior wide receiver Isaiah Johnson snatched a touchdown catch from junior quarterback Mitchell Gibbons with 8:11 left on the fourth-quarter clock Friday night, Aug. 30, 2019, at Dobyns-Bennett, spoiling the Game No. 2 shutout that the Indians were working toward against the visiting Wildcats.

With the 41-6 loss, Oak Ridge finds itself down but far from out as the first two games played this season against Hardin Valley Academy (a 13-6 Wildcat loss at home in Jack Armstrong Stadium during Week No. 1 — punctuated by an almost 90-minute lightning delay) and now Dobyns-Bennett are both non-district games.

The regional matchups, on the other hand, begin next Friday, Sept. 6, when Oak Ridge travels to Campbell County before hosting Farragut (Sept. 13), Knoxville West (Sept. 20), Clinton (Sept. 27) and Karns (Oct. 4).

"This game is over," Oak Ridge head football coach Joe Gaddis told his players on the field at D-B immediately following Friday night's loss. "We've got to learn from our mistakes and get ready for easily the most important game of the year — Campbell County's a region game. That will make us or break us where the playoffs are concerned.

"I would have loved to have won these past two games, but they wouldn't have meant anything playoff-wise.

"Forget this game — and let's get better," coach Gaddis stated. "We'll watch film Sunday, and we will learn from the mistakes we made.

"Let's get ready for Campbell County."

Darrell Richardson can be contacted at (865) 220-5510.

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